over exposed reds

[mort linder]

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i am finding that reds are over exposed and loose detail . i set the camera to - .3 compensation , and i have not had too much problem with blown 

highlights , only the reds . any solution ?

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[adan]

I do a lot of M10 performance photography under colored stage lights (see below). And often need to bring down "hot" reds.

I use the HSL (Hue/Saturation/Lightness - per color) and "highlights" controls in the image-processing software steps. And selectively "darken" the reds (and often oranges and yellows, which have a red component - R+G=Y).

I use Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop in two-step processing of .DNG files, and darken reds via HSL at both stages, if needed.

Also, I default to -0.7 exposure compensation with ANY M digital with the classic metering (off-the-shutter). The strong-center-weighted metering pattern can't account for every part/color/tone of the picture. And it is much easier to bring up hidden shadow details in digital than fix over-cooked highlights.

Additionally, if using manual ISO, avoid ISO 100 - it is slight "pull" ISO (the camera overexposes at least 1/3rd stop intentionally, and then uses less amplification of the data (less "development") to reduce noise - but is right on the razor's edge for blowing some highlights.

And watch out for "Auto" or "As Shot" white-balancing under artificial lights - they tend to leave the warm colors too warm and bright as well. I sample the grays and whites myself with the white-balance "eye-dropper" tool.

Finally - but this is a whole separate approach - I tend to use the 1970s-80s Mandler/Canada lenses, which are inherently a bit more cyan (minus-red) than Leica's post-2000 lenses.

M10 v.1 with 1971 50 Summicron v.3. - very "mixed" stage and ambient lighting.

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[crhulhu]

On 10/17/2023 at 3:02 AM, adan said:

I do a lot of M10 performance photography under colored stage lights (see below). And often need to bring down "hot" reds.

I use the HSL (Hue/Saturation/Lightness - per color) and "highlights" controls in the image-processing software steps. And selectively "darken" the reds (and often oranges and yellows, which have a red component - R+G=Y).

I use Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop in two-step processing of .DNG files, and darken reds via HSL at both stages, if needed.

Also, I default to -0.7 exposure compensation with ANY M digital with the classic metering (off-the-shutter). The strong-center-weighted metering pattern can't account for every part/color/tone of the picture. And it is much easier to bring up hidden shadow details in digital than fix over-cooked highlights.

Additionally, if using manual ISO, avoid ISO 100 - it is slight "pull" ISO (the camera overexposes at least 1/3rd stop intentionally, and then uses less amplification of the data (less "development") to reduce noise - but is right on the razor's edge for blowing some highlights.

And watch out for "Auto" or "As Shot" white-balancing under artificial lights - they tend to leave the warm colors too warm and bright as well. I sample the grays and whites myself with the white-balance "eye-dropper" tool.

Finally - but this is a whole separate approach - I tend to use the 1970s-80s Mandler/Canada lenses, which are inherently a bit more cyan (minus-red) than Leica's post-2000 lenses.

M10 v.1 with 1971 50 Summicron v.3. - very "mixed" stage and ambient lighting.

ISO100 is not a pull setting on the M10R. 
 

@mort linder I find with the M10R (or the M10 cameras) it’s easier to treat them all manual. RAW and no JPEGs. Exposure compensation I never use. I turned it off actually. Understand the exposure and what your camera is telling you. The arrows in the viewfinder are a guide.  Move your camera around the scene and see what your camera is telling you and then lock in your settings. 

Edited October 20, 2023 by crhulhu

[jaapv]

On 10/16/2023 at 6:28 AM, mort linder said:

i am finding that reds are over exposed and loose detail . i set the camera to - .3 compensation , and i have not had too much problem with blown 

highlights , only the reds . any solution ?

Make a camera profile for your raw converter. 

[Adam Bonn]

4 hours ago, crhulhu said:

ISO100 is not a pull setting on the M10R. 

It is on the m10, which I believe the OP is using judging by his image thread participation.